How the Die-hards were Tricked Into Raising Siege of Mi istry of Education Trewtsny News Seavice, Tientsin, May 18.
According to despatches from! Peking a few days ago the remaining striking students, of Peiyang University, about 17 practically' encamped try of Education building in Peking until their demands for the resignation of President Feng were met, wre induced to return to Tientsin on the promise that if they resumed classes Dr. Feng would later resign. It was stated that this alleged "compromise" was the. outcome of Dr. C. 'T. Wang's intervention.
The truth behind this message was known to a few before it was made public, However, before divulging this truth it is necessary to consider the recent happenings in connexion with the Peiyang students strike. On April 8, 186 students were dismissed for not returning to classes, the dismissal being the penalty, published by the. University authorities, for students. who still remained on strike, without official leave, up the afternoon of that date. On that day 62 had returned to the campus and 102 had obtained official leave. These accounted for the 350 students encolled before the strike a few weeks previously.
What Really Happened While 65 had returned, actually only 18 were attending classes for a few days after April 8, but since then the attendance has steadily i creased. There are now 130 attending classes. All of those returning had to sign a pledge stating they would abide by the rules of the Univers that "no stude "organizations" would be started.
About 170, however, held out for their demands and have almost lived on the premises of the Ministry of Edugation in Peking. The officials racked their" wits to find means of getting rid of them and recently a successful method was found. With a certain dignity a conterer which Dr. C. T. Wang, a graduate of Peiyang, put forward the suggestion that the students should turn forthwith to save the "fu of Dr. Feng, who would afterwards resign for other reasons. This proposal, backed as it was by of approval and in accordance wit Chinese custom, met with instant adoption. The students and Ministry were tired of the fight and the students were elated at an obvious though deferred victory. Howe it is also in accordance with Chi ese custom that when a situation defies all reasonable means of solution it becomes advisable to use others. A refractory child is duced to be quiet with a promise of candy, a hesitant duced to' part with appeals of fabulous riches, of which promises is made seriously. It is, im the native language, known as the process of "hung.
"Hanged" out of Peking Applied to the students ed out according to form: returned to Tientsin in a body yesterday, with the expectation of being taken back on the rolls el masse and free of any stipulation whatsoever. To be certain of their expected open-urined wele@@he thes ent one student to the University as an advance guard. Upon arrival he was told: what he and all the rest had t3 do before admission. He was told they must sigm the pledge to refrain from organizing. The student immedi. ately returned and reported to his comrades who are scattered among several. hotels in the French and Japanese Concessions. What they intend to do remains to be seen. Dr. Feng, who tock no part in thi deception, does not intend to resign and will not be permitted to sign by the Civil Governor, eve Wished. "The chief thing, in the minds of: the Chibli authorities and the Ministry of Education is that the students have been "hunged" out of Peking, and the police have been given strict instructions to see that they do not return to Peking. for some time, certainly not to within the precinets of the Ministry of Education.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.